Indeed. Amongst 5-8, the only one I've played so far and didn't have to use Rookie Hunter Mode for was X5. X6's level design is dickish, I've heard plenty of bad things about X7, and I'm actually watching an LP of X8 by Kung-Fu Jesus.

BocajFunny, but not helpful
from Here
Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords

I actually liked Command Mission a lot. I just got stuck at a late-game back to back double boss fight bonanza or something.
I remember beating one boss, and then almost immediately getting thrust into another boss fight without a chance to heal.

The way for me, X4 is fun and really balance, X5 feel really easy, X6 is really fucking hard and quite dickish and schizophrenic(fuck you infinity minion and fuck you too gate laboratory), X7 is.....meh and I liked X8.

X5 is decent (would be a lot better without Alia chiming in every other minute), X6 is poorly designed and thought out, x7 is also poorly designed while also dull as shit, and x8 is a fun game marred by a few bad design decisions.

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.
...not really though.

Her ninja stealth type motif suggests a good alternate play style from X and Zero. Shadow dash, wall cling instead of slide, steal some stuff from the x 6 ninja armor and then make it not terrible, maybe a mechanic to deal extra backstab or sneak attack damage

Marino in an X game would be interesting. Heck, sneak attack damage would be interesting. Making her immune to spikes and bottomless pits naturally would break any stage that heavily relies on spikes and pits (crushing would still kill her instantly).

BocajFunny, but not helpful
from Here
Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords

That would be a good tradeoff for Marino: immune to spikes and pits, but she takes more damage from contact with enemies and projectives and does less damage unless she backstabs.

Here's something though: Viral Armor for Zero. He recovers heath by killing enemies, cannot be killed by enemies or projectiles unless he is at 1 HP, has built-in jumper and speedster parts, and deals more damage to enemies without sacrificing defense.

Somehow, the above-mentioned Sequel Hooktakes effect turning Axl Maverick. He then revives various villains: specifically Vile, Domino, the X-Hunters, and the Final Boss of Command Mission. Iris is also revived and made Maverick. These villains try to achieve the destruction of Humans. In my original concept, the Big Bad was Dr. Weil, but being able to separate Lumine from Axl while keeping the latter under The Virus could also accomplish that.

To counter them are our ever stalwart heroes, joined by their friends from Giga City. Steel Massimo and Marino volunteer to fight alongside X and Zero while Cinnamon becomes a navigator. As per X8, you can choose 2 Hunters and a Navigator... for the X-Hunters and Domino. For the other 4 Bosses, the Lead Hunter is locked-in, though you can still select the sidekick and navigator:

X for Vile

Zero for Iris

Massimo for Axl

Marino for Redips

I'm not sure whether those 4 levels would end with a Duel Boss or just a regular boss battle.

Of course, after the 8 neo-X-Hunters have been either Secured or "Retired" (again), you go to the Fortress Stages. I didn't give much thought to those, though...

It was a solid RPG that they put quite a bit of thought in and was fairly challenging. The plot was pretty decent with no Sigma in sight for once and a decent cast, with my only complaint being that the new characters stop developing after their introductory chapter.

Plus, it's the first X game that had playable female characters, two of them at that, and they weren't Palette Swaps.

Which means, yes, I'm also all for the Command Mission cast returning in a future X Game.

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